Singtel brings back its social innovation accelerator programme Singtel Future Makers (SFM) this year with five startups on board.
The startups will receive support from a cash pool of up to USS$109,000. From August to October, they will also receive monetary and non-monetary support to work on their Shared Value Proof of Concept (POC) proposals.
The five selected startups are:
- Tic Tag, a startup that seeks to empower people to participate in the artificial intelligence and data industry, by turning manual data annotation process into a crowdsourced game. The startup collaborates with a social service agency to conduct a POC and usability tests on creating micro-jobs for the seniors.
- GenConnects, a startup that develops rehabilitative games based on research for persons with dementia to stimulate their sensory, cognitive, and motor skills holistically. This is supported by their mobile application which helps to assess and track these skills and provide customised real-time recommendations to enhance their care.
- Fairmarch, an online marketplace platform that connects socially and environmentally conscious consumers to impact-driven sellers. They believe in socially and environmentally responsible businesses that are inclusive and strive to deliver value beyond profits.
- Wiz.Ai, a startup that builds a talkbot platform that enables an enterprise to automate telephonic and app-based voice conversations. The platform is able to analyse spoken voice data and handle complex multi-round conversation intents, empowering enterprises to automate the full-landscape of customer service engagement. The startup works with ICT provider NCS on a POC proposal that leverage NCS conversation AI platform complement their service offering to hospitals.
- Senzehub, a startup that develops vital signs wearable that flags early warning of the condition deterioration which otherwise goes unnoticed.
They will undergo capability building workshops to refine their business strategies to strengthen their social purpose, improve their value proposition and pitching skills. They will also get networking opportunities with Singtel stakeholders, community partners, and impact investors. This includes one-on-one coaching with mentors from Singtel’s business units.
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This year’s programme will end with a pitch day in early November.
Participating startups will also stand the chance to be selected for the regional Singtel Group Future Makers programme which brings together Singtel, Optus, and Singtel’s associates Globe (Philippines), Telkomsel (Indonesia), and AIS (Thailand).
Against the backdrop of COVID-19, Singtel also announced that it has awarded two Singtel Future Makers Alumni with a Special Pandemic Support Grant:
- AEvice Health (2018 batch), a startup that has developed an innovative wearable technology that uses artificial intelligence to help diagnose, manage and predict chronic respiratory diseases.
- Solve Education Foundation (2017 batch), a non-profit organisation that is committed to helping children and youth around the globe receive quality, effective education.
Besides the grant, Singtel also said that it will continue to provide them with mentorship, access to its leaders and industry experts, and regional networking opportunities.
Launched in 2016, SFM is the telco company’s social innovation accelerator and regional capacity building programme. It provides mentorship, coaching, business pilots, and funding support to empower impact startups leveraging technology to address social and environmental issues in the community.
Since its inception, the accelerator said it has invested US$3.7 million in the local and regional SFM programmes.
Singtel Future Makers welcomes startups that meet the following criteria:
- Addresses one of the challenge statements or themes (Digital Enablement, Health & Well-Being, Environment)
- Launches a product or service and looking to scale social impact
- Has the potential to solve real social problems in a sizeable, addressable market
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Image Credit: Singtel Future Makers
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